Palladium-Catalyzed Directed para C−H Functionalization of Phenols

Abstract

Various practical methods for the selective C−H functionalization of the ortho and recently also of the meta position of an arene have already been developed. Following our recent development of the directing-group-assisted para C−H functionalization of toluene derivatives, we herein report the first remote para C−H functionalization of phenol derivatives by using a recyclable silicon-containing biphenyl-based template. The effectiveness of this strategy was illustrated with different synthetic elaborations and by the synthesis of various phenol-based natural products.